Breakthrough in Leukemia Diagnosis: Israeli Scientists Develop Unique Blood Test
Just days before Iran’s massive missile strike on Israel, scientists at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot introduced a groundbreaking innovation—a new blood test capable of detecting leukemia risk without the need for a painful bone marrow biopsy. During the attack, however, one of the missiles struck the scientific campus, destroying around 45 laboratories and obliterating decades’ worth of materials, equipment, and biological samples.
Despite the devastating damage, the research team managed to save critical samples and promptly publish their findings in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine. Led by Professors Liran Shlush and Amos Tanay, the team developed a technology to analyze circulating stem cells in the blood.
Key features of the new test include:
- Assessment of the “biological age” of blood;
- Detection of precancerous mutations associated with myelodysplastic syndrome;
- Early diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia risk;
- Replacement for invasive bone marrow biopsy.
Additionally, the study revealed, for the first time, genetic risk differences for leukemia development between men and women, opening new perspectives for personalized medicine.
The infrastructure damage was enormous: years of scientific work were destroyed in seconds. Nevertheless, with support from Israeli authorities and the international scientific community, a program to restore the laboratories is already underway.
In the near future, the team plans large-scale clinical trials in Israel, the US, Europe, and Asia. Despite the loss of equipment and data, the scientists aim to continue and expand their work, strengthening collaboration with leading medical centers worldwide.
Israeli scientists developed a blood test for early leukemia detection without bone marrow biopsy. Published in Nature Medicine.
